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National Cancer Survivors Day Garden

Published on May 12, 2012

Because of early diagnoses, changing to healthier lifestyles, and greater strides in clinical trials and cancer fighting technologies, more and more people are becoming cancer survivors. That is reason for hope.

In celebration of National Cancer Survivors® Day, the staff of The Cancer Care Center at Bronson Battle Creek will be planting a ‘Burst of Blossoms’ survivors’ garden the week of June 4-8 near the hospital’s Emmett Street entrance.

Throughout the week, cancer survivors are encouraged to stop by the lobby of The Cancer Care Center between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and ‘create’ a plant marker. The American Cancer Society and volunteers from the Art Center of Battle Creek, which is donating the art supplies, will be on hand to help survivors design a personalized marker. Each evening, the cancer staff will take those markers and place them next to the plants that they are donating, and put them in the ground.

“Cancer survivorship is unique to each patient,” said Taffie Majdeski, RN OCN, BAH, MBA, Bronson Battle Creek Cancer Care Center service line administrator. “While on their road to recovery, many speak about changing their priorities and how they are determined to live life more fully.”

“Our cancer staff is creating this garden as a symbol of the kind of healing and nurturing that takes place with their cancer patients,” added Deb Arnold, RN, BSN, cancer center staff nurse. “We are hoping that survivors will join in and tell their personal stories by decorating a plant marker. Art and gardening can be very therapeutic.”

According to American Society of Clinical Oncology, the number of people with a history of cancer in the United States has increased dramatically, from 3 million in 1971 to about 12 million today. About 68% of people diagnosed with cancer today are expected to live at least five years beyond their diagnosis. Most cancer survivors today are age 65 or older.

National Cancer Survivors Day is an annual, worldwide celebration of life that is held in hundreds of communities throughout the United States, Canada, and other participating countries. Participants unite in a symbolic event to show the world that life after a cancer diagnosis can be meaningful and productive. A ’survivor’ is anyone living with a history of cancer – from the moment of diagnosis through the remainder of life.

Battle Creek Health System, now proudly serving southwest Michigan as Bronson Battle Creek, is a 218-bed hospital that provides full outpatient and inpatient acute care including robotic surgery, diagnostics, and rehabilitation services; 100% all private rooms. It also offers world-class diagnostic capabilities including PET/CT imaging, freestanding ‘open’ and traditional MRI, CT (16- and 64-slice), and 3.0 Tesla MRI. Bronson Battle Creek has been recognized nationally as one of the safest hospitals, and has been a leader in the development of electronic health records as evidenced by multiple honors as one of America’s ‘most wired’ and ‘most wireless’ hospitals. The Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons recognizes the Bronson Battle Creek Cancer Care Center as a Comprehensive Community Cancer Program, and the only hospital in Michigan to receive the CoC’s Outstanding Achievement Award three times in a row. Specialty services include the county’s largest accredited sleep center and a wound-healing center with hyperbaric oxygen therapy.